Warren Books

In the genre of popular Civil War books, the emphasis is often on the people in the story - who did what and when, what was said between protagonists, and the telling of the many interesting ancedotes that liven up the prose. The good books give a clear background to the decision and actions, but are often difficult to follow as they are unclear about many of the non-human aspects of a campaign, such geographic, ecological and engineering details that affected the course of events. Grabau has produced a magnificent work that addresses in depth many of the fascinating background issues that affected the outcome of the Vicksburg campaign. We learn much about the geology of the Mississippi river, and how the landcape along the river determined the course of events. We learn much about logistical realities that the armies had to contend with, such as the pounds per square inch by which a cassion wheel contacts the earth. Because it so high (about 20 times that of a modern battle tank), wagons will sink in with any rain, greatly limiting the mobility of an army. Grabau provides fascinating details concerning transportion by equine (horses and mules), and how they controlled Civil war tactics. An army had to carry fodder in most cases, with greatly diminishing returns as the distance increases. If, for example, an army had to travel over 70 miles, all it could carry was horse fodder, rather than the army. One of the best aspects of the book are the detailed maps of the region, the battles, and the siege works around Visckburg. These maps provide great clarity to the narritive and understanding of the events. I was at Vicksburg the week before I read the book, and am able to state that the maps are accurate and match the landscape well. They would be vital to those who travel to Vicksburg, as they bring clarity to a heterogenous and often confusing landscape. With the maps, one can now find many of the locations of the campaign that are currently unmarked, aan in doing so, better appreciate the role important role of geography as a controller of events. The writing style is clear and moves right along, alternating between federal and Confederate views of the same series of events. In many ways, I found this to be the best Civil War book I have read, because of the smooth delivery and depth of information. Why only 4 stars? The description of key events, such as the battles, the siege, the surrender and aftermath are generally pretty brief. There is not much detail provided regarding the human actions in the campaign. We learn, for example, which units assaulted the Stockade Redan, that they attacked, did not have much success, and eventually retreated. The human interest stories that often provide for a rich narrative are sparse and often economically delivered. In this manner, Grabau's style has to be contrasted with that of Shelby Foote, but that to be expected, as Foote brings a novelist's perspective while Grabau has a background in geography and the sciences. Both perspectives work. To fully appreciate the Vicksburg campaign, I would recommend 98 Days be read before Foote's The Beleagured City and other more recent texts. In this way, the reader would bring a background understanding to the narratives by Foote and others that are somewhat sparse on the details but tell a great story of the people involved.

Read this book in preparation to touring the campaign per the recommendation of the guide we employed. Was not disappointed.
Ed Bearss three volume work is often referred to as the definitive work, but can be a dry read. So, this is a good alternative but should probably be read in conjuction with another work such as Winchels (park historian?) "Triumph and Defeat". Grabau has great regimental movement maps and emphasizes the geological and landscape character of the terrain upon which this campaign was conducted. Read it.

There should be more books like this on other battles of the Civil War. Warren Grabau has blended the common, often read knowledge of Vicksburg with his own geographic/weather insights that make this a slightly different insight into the soldier's experience. The book reads quite well and in no time the reader is finished...disapointed there is no next chapter. The maps are quite good, allowing the reader insight as to the ongoings on the battlefield(s). This a must read for anyone interested in the civil war and a definite...no excuse not to.. read for those specifically involved with the western theater. Now I think I will go and re-read the book to enjoy the second time!

Grabau, a lifelong student of the Vicksburg campaign and a collaborator of Ed Bearss, has laid down a marker for other military historians with this new study which should remain the best single-volume treatment of the campaign for some days to come. I have never seen a more comprehensive blending of all the factors which influence the outcome of war. Grabau succinctly ties together communications, intelligence, and logistics along with astute observations on military operations and command personalities. His expertise in geography and geology allows him to describe, in layman's terms, the impact of Mississippi's weather, terrain and vegetation on day to day operations. His enlightening but commonsensical analysis of soil, climate, road surfaces and water sources adds another dimension to the reader's understanding of how and why the campaign was waged. Students of joint warfare should find this volume of great value as Grabau carefully delineates the cooperation between Grant's army and Porter's fleet - what a shining example for today's military! The backbone of this book consists of a set of 68 accessible maps which graphically illustrate actions and decisions of the participants. Accompanying line and block charts of orders of battle and associated command structures further assist the reader. A typical chapter begins with a geographical description of the area to be discussed followed with sections dealing with a particular battle or operation as seen, first by the Union participants, and then by the Confederates ---very effective. The author's style is snappy and crisp; he wields his facts comfortably and accompanied by a nice sense of humor. My only disappointment was the lack of an exhaustive bibliography, but given the extraordinary effort this work entailed, that's rather small potatoes. This volume is mandatory for any serious student of the Vicksburg campaign, of U.S. Grant, or of amphibious operations. Additionally, I can think of no other work that more clearly illustrates the genius and courage of U.S. Grant and David Porter.

Best analysis of the nuts and bolts of the Vicksburg Campaign. The maps alone will make you wish every civil war book could be just like 98 Days. I would change only one thing about the book: Grabau hints that some of the locals may have been aiding the Union and feeding disinformation to the Confederates. He uses Occam's Razor to arrive at this conclusion. However, some amount of information available in the O.R. and other primary source documents suggests the existence of a vast network of Unionists and deserters that actively resisted the Confederacy in Mississippi. Although the evidence is circumstantial with regard to Grant's intel operations in Mississippi, Grabau points out that there are simply too many fortunate coincidences on the march from Bruinsburg to Bovina (Confederate units wandering aimlessly after being told the wrong directions, "railroad workers" who just happen to know the exact number of cannon and regiments in Pemberton's offensive force, Grant's effortless movement through enemy territory, and the absence of intel flowing from the common folk to the Confederate command concerning Union movements). I would have enjoyed seeing him follow up on this thought. Anyone interested in researching this topic should read "The Free State of Jones: Mississippi's Longest Civil War" (a dry but very thoroughly researched read), "Tupelo" by Reverend John Aughey, and the O.R. entries concerning Choctaw County.

This is a must have for starting a new business. While the theory is great, the practicality of the text allow it to be a "use as you go" guide for writing an effective business plan. Full of effective links and examples of how to, it provides an approach that business start-up leaders of all experience levels can find useful. The relevance of the text is timeless.

This is a must-have guide if you are serious about starting your own company. The book will decrease the amount of time you need to research, and increase the amount of time you have to start making money. The book is easy to understand as it's written from the entrepreneur's perspective. Even after reading the book I find myself going back to it to use as a resource. This book is worth every penny.

This is a comprehensive book that is a must for learning the ropes of entrepreneurship. As a graduate of the MBA program at Columbia, I had a special entrepreneurial interest and focus. I am excited to see that Jack Kaplan has added another outstanding book to complement his other books on the subject. Jack is a true entrepreneur who knows what it really takes to succeed.

This is one of the few books from my MBA program that has truly become a reference guide for me as I am contemplating starting a venture. I would highly recommend the book because it offers the optimal balance of case studies, core business information and extensive additional resources that are all critical to understanding what is necessary for starting a new company. Lastly, I think it is clear that the authors are highly involved in the entrepreneurial world and this comes through in all of the tips and case studies.

What sets Jack's book apart from other entrepreneurship manuals is the depth of practical advice firmly grounded in experience. It is rare to get such access to a serial entrepreneur's accumulated wisdom. Jack's advice has been equally valuable in the classroom -- he knows what he is talking about. I would recommend this book highly to anyone with an idea that wants to become a business.

I think this piece adequately demonstrated that many of the popular negative impressions people hold of megachurches are false. I've believed that for a long time. Some of the books that came out in the late 90's suggesting that these churches are nothing but marketing and entertainment were clearly exaggerated. I wondered if the authors had actually visited and studied the churches they were slamming.

On the other hand, their claim that megachurches don't grow mainly by transfer from area evangelical churches doesn't square with our studies. So far, in studies of nearly 30 megachurches, we have found only two that had over 10% of their people stating that they met Christ in that church: Willow Creek at 23% and Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa at 60%. Our own church is also over 60%. All the others had less than 10% converts, and many had less than 5%.

Taking the word of pastors and staff on how many in the church are converts vs. transfers doesn't work. Only on the ground interviews of meaningful samples of attendees can be trusted.

Dennis McCallum, author Organic Disciplemaking: How to promote Christian leadership development through personal relationships, biblical discipleship, mentoring, and Christian community

For many years I am interested in a megachurch phenomenon and like to read different books on subject. This book is different. Drawn from a research and destroying the myths surrounding the megachurches, I found this volume worth all the money and highly informative and refreshing. A great study for all the pastors and leaders.

Even though I am not a pastor of megachurch myself (in my country there is no single church with over 500 people in attendance), I have learned a lot about the proccess and principles beyond the growth of the megachurches. I wish someone would do a similar study on world megachurches as well from different cultural tradition. That would be a great volume 2!

As a missionary who works with many churches, I found Beyond Megachurch Myths to be very helpful in increasing my understanding of the church today. I would recommend it to anyone involved in ministry and/or Christian leadership. In addition to enhancing my understanding of the megachurch, I found many practical observations to strengthen my own ministry. I'm already looking forward to Dr. Thumma's next book!

Rev. Jack Landis

There are a lot of opinions about megachurches, but this is the first complete assessment of the megachurch phenomenon. It draws together extensive information and other available research to correct assumptions. It also includes practical questions and considerations for all pastors and church leaders. As a broad overview, it doesn't get better than this.

This book goes well with several others. I suggest Seeker Churches: Promoting Traditional Religion in a Nontraditional Way by Kimon Sargean, A Mosaic of Believers: Diversity and Innovation in a Multiethnic Church as well as Hollywood Faith: Holiness, Prosperity, and Ambition in a Los Angeles Church by Gerardo Marti, The Megachurch and the Mainline: Remaking Religious Tradition in the Twenty-first Century by Stephen Ellingson, When Church Became Theatre: The Transformation of Evangelical Architecture and Worship in Nineteenth-Century America by Jeanne Kilde, and Donald Miller's Reinventing American Protestantism: Christianity in the New Millennium.

This book is long on analysis and full of helpful lessons that any church can apply regardless of size. You could spend several months and thousands of dollars visiting the fastest growing churches in America and trying to gather what they've learned OR you can spend a few bucks and get it all in this book. Reading this book will challenge your assumptions and leave you inspired about the tremendous potential of the local church, including yours.

This is a great commentary. In an expository manner, he explains each book of the Bible in detail. Wiersbe gives background information on topics that help make each passage more clear. It is always beside my Bible when I study! I highly recommend it.

I have found Wiersbe's commentaries very helpful in my study of the New Testament and in particular our recent study of Revelation - the Commentary on Revelation had many very helpful thoughts which I found very useful as I prepared Bible studies for my group.

I have not completed reading these books but so far they are exceeding my expectations. Great books for anyone wanting a greater appreciation of the word of GOd and seeking to know him(God) better.

As a Bible college graduate and youth pastor, I could not do without this commentary set. Wiersbe uses everday illustrations and gives a good explanation of the text. However as with many commentators, some difficult passages are skipped.

I use these all the time in my studies. Wiersbe writes at a level anyone can understand and provides many insights that his years of study and devotion have provided.
I would recommend both volumes to anyone wanting to gain a deeper insight into the New Testament.

I am really glad I bought this product. I enjoy having the OT text right there with the Strongs number above the text. I am enjoying the Lexical aid and the actual Hebrew dictionary, as well. I generally going to the Hebrew dictionary first and then see if there is anything that adds to the definition in the Lexical aid. Only downside so far is there have been some minor words are not listed in this version's Lexical aid (a majority of the words do include a Lexical aid entry). It would just have been nice to have a secondary definition/commentary on all words.

GREAT study helps! If you are studying the Old Testament you want this in your library!

This book is a big help in looking deeper into the meaning behind the words and phrases in the Old Testament.

This work has been a great help to me and I am very thankful for it. It is very easy to use.

The publisher seems to have done an excellent job as far as appearance. The clarity of type, etc., is excellent. However, if you use an Accent style bible highlighter, it smears and smudges really bad, especially in areas where the type is bolder or closer together (like in some of the back reference sections). This may be the case (likely is considering the general smudginess of the print) for other highlighters as well but I haven't tried them.

It's like the ink never fully dries. Even if you just rub it with a slighly moist (pretty much like normal if you're holding a pen or moving around at all) finger, it smudges very easily.

So although this is an incredibly helpful and excellent work overall, this one defect is frustrating to me. Perhaps other editions don't have this defect but you might want to give it a little smudge-test in the store before buying it anywhere.

This book has an easy to read print and gives helpful detailed (in layman's terms) explanations of words that many other books lack. It has two parts, a dictionary and a concordance which are both coded to the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (KJV) system.
That may sound complicated, but it is SO WORTH the digging.
If you get this book, you still need the Strong's and a KJV Bible to refer to... the shovels needed to get to the gold.
P.S.No trouble with highlighting the pages from 2003 edition.

The focus of this book is the automobile crash that ended the life of actor James Dean. Dean only ever made three movies but those three had a huge impact on folks of that period.

In any case, the details given here will present you with a clearly defined account of why and how this youth noir-icon died.

He was on his way to a race, in a racecar, when a young man pulled out from an intersecting highway. So, the question arises, 'Was Dean's speed the cause of the spectacular crash or, was it carelessness on the young man's part who possibly failed to yield the right-of-way?' (HINT: Dean was just issued a speeding ticket about an hour or so before the crash!)

This book has plenty of nice illustrations and I found it a real page-turner of a mini-biography.

We invite you to learn more about James Dean and other Warren Beath titles at http://jamesdeanindeath.com/

I first read this book almost 15 years ago and lost the original paperback whilst at college.But I can still recall the creepy passages of Beath's descripton of Dean's death and Beath's veiled admission of his own descent into madness and obsession-the young man that Beath describes throughout the book IS the author himself because if you read his bibliography at the front,he lists NOTES ON DYING which is the thesis the character writes in the book.Bits that stick out are the Japanese business-man buying the hulk of the tow-truck that carried away the crumpled porshe after the crash and the author stealing a high-way cornice and storing it in his room,only to find it infested with hornets and flies.Quite superb.

I read this book when it first was published, so I am obviously not in the best position to critique it at least a couple years later. However, when it comes to James Dean I am an admitted addict and have read almost everything that has been published about him over the past 30 years. What makes this book a standout is that it concentrates on Dean's death as opposed to his life. It provides very detailed information re: his last ride and how his death and the subsequent hoopla surrounding it was handled. It also provides quite a lot of previously unpublished material in regard to the period immediately before and after his death. The author has saved us all a lot of pain and irritation by researching this material in a factual and precise manner.
What makes this book a positive departure from the other Dean book is that there is no psychological stuff about Dean's tortured youth or attempts to affix a death wish to him, just a lot of good hard facts. Joe Friday couldn't do a better job in that area.
The best part of this book? It sticks to the truth and makes for an interesting read.

Beath makes the death of James Dean a very personal experience for the reader. This is not a book one reads and forgets - the reader has participated in the author's passionate search for the substance behind the tragedy and the reader is changed. I'm ready for more from this author.

Well, what a gem this turned out to be. I almost passed over it in the bookstore because the cover art seemed a little blah. Turns out you really CAN'T judge a book by it's cover! I actually didn't notice that this book was the second in a series until I was at home and settling down to read it. Fortunately, this book can be read just fine as a stand alone.

I am very impressed with the quality of writing. Good suspense is so hard to find...especially in the Christian market...so it was with great joy that I read well past my bedtime (and all common sense) to finish it up. The characters are likable and the spiritual message is conveyed with care and conviction.

My only complaint (and it's a small one) is that it takes Dani a ridiculously long time to figure out Will isn't the reporter he claims to be. That got on my nerves after a while but not enough to ruin the book....or even lower my rating.

Pick this one up right away, you won't regret it. Now, I'm off to buy the first in the series...

I loved the first book in this series and this one did not let me down! This was a wonderful, romantic Christian suspense novel.

Will and Dani are great characters that you truly want to get to know. I really like how Will developed and thought that was a great addition to this book. Definitely a close look at how to develop into a Christian.

Take the time to read this entire series - you will be glad you did!

Couldn't put it down! I have a love/hate relationship with writers that get you so into the story that you panic when the characters panic, etc. Worse yet is when you cannot put it down...you try to rationalize with yourself that it will still be there in the morning (it's 3am and you have to get up at 6am) and that it won't change if you close the book for a few hours of shut eye.

Loved it! I own/have read every book Susan has written. I have loaned several out and have had to purchace replacements because no one wants to give them back!

-Bis

Escape To Morning is a wonderful book full of intrigue and danger and romance. Living on the Canadian border as I do, brought this book to life for me.......I could picture Fadima running though the woods with Will and Dannette tracking her!
What a wonderful story. It is a must read! Way to go Susan.

Dannette (Dani) Lundeen is a Search and Rescue worker who is more than capable of handling herself in difficult situations. Will Masterson, Homeland Security agent currently undercover as a reporter, is immediately impressed by her.

Dani however, does not think very highly of reporters, so Will has an uphill battle on his hands to get past Dani's defenses. But when Dani begins an independent search for a missing teenage girl in the woods near the Canadian border and runs into Will, also looking for the same girl, she wonders why a reporter is so determined to help with the search. And Will is bound to keep the truth from her.

Dani & Will quickly found a special place in my heart. Their personal & spiritual journey's were ones I recognized in my own life. Will is trying so hard to learn how to be "God's man." And Dani thinks she has a solid relationship with the Lord, until she begins to realize that there are some areas of her life she has not really trusted Him with.

Susan does a wonderful job weaving spiritual truths into a suspenseful storyline.

I purchasd this book in "used" condition. I was very pleasantly surprised when I recieved it. It was in PERFECT condition. Would definately purchased from this source again!

This is a great overall book on horses. However, the section on how horses actually move is really lacking. It does a good job discussing the basic walk, trot, pace, canter, gallop, but then says anything else is "artificial." "Any other gaits are caused by chains, chemicals, and shoeing practices". I have a completely barefoot Tennessee Walker trail horse that has some lateral gears that are not covered by this book at all.

I was first introduced to this book 20 years ago while a student of Dr Evans at UC Davis. Its the only text from college that I still reference. The information is informative, reliable and accurate. I strongly recommend this book for every horseowner from the novice backyard owner to the experienced showman.

This book was recommended to me when I was attending college for Equine Studies. The book is great! A must for those who wish to know more indepth about the care of horses. Not for the novice. It was so nice to read a book that didn't spend most of the chapters on grooming and mounting. You won't find that here. The four authors are some of the best horsemen in the business and Anthony Borton was one of my professors. I highly recommend this book to anyone taking any Equine studies or anyone who wants to learn more than just the basics. (from physiology to genetics to feeding, etc.)

Very thorough and informative text book. Has everything from calculating inbreeding relationships to nutrition to leg disorders and foal care. Used for my University class. Precise and easy to comprehend.

This book is incredible! Laughs from cover to cover, from the slightly off-center mind of Wm. Warren. The funniest take on death ever penned in the English language. The only thing that could keep this from being considered the next great American Novel, is that it is only a novella!

I highly recommend reading this book. It, somehow, continuously makes me laugh without intense vulgarity. I can't wait to see the movie that Warren is working on. I hear it's going to be one of the greats. I cannot stress enough that YOU SHOULD BUY THIS BOOK. And then, you should buy another copy just incase you lose one. In which case you should buy another spare.

This book is amazing. I bought it one evening and had it read by the next afternoon. It was too good to put down. Honestly, if you are looking for something creative, hilarious, and a little off-beat, this is it. The only time I could ever put this book down was when I was laughing too hard to continue. The Good Gatsby is seriously GREAT.

This book is probably one of THE funniest books I have ever read. The author is a good friend of mine, and I must say, it reflects his personality 100%.
It's unpredictable and it will lead you into thinking one thing is going to happen when BAM, you're surprised at how it actually turned out.
Doug has taken the most random and strange things that could possibly occur (I mean, probably will never occur, but if they do, it would be scary) and made them into something hilarious. This book will actually make you think this:
How do you want to die???

This has to be the absolute funniest book I have ever read. There is not another book that I can remember laughing out loud while reading, and there isn't a page in this book that didn't leave me rolling on the floor laughing.
Warren has a way of chasing rabbits to where one second he will be talking about the Alamo, and the next sentence he will be on a completely different subject talking about Windmill museums or something, and then flawlessly return to the story in a way that you don't even realize that you were taken off subject until you are back in the plot.
At $15.00 this book is a bargain. There are so many times that I buy a $20 book but get bored and stop reading by page 30, but this book I have read over and over and laughed each time.
This is THE absolute best book I have ever read. You will never have to go Christmas shopping again. Just order this book and mail it to everyone on your Christmas list and the gratitude they will show you will last a lifetime.

A very thoroughly written book. I found some information on all-flying tails that I haven't found any where else. However, Dr. Phillips uses nomenclature that are not what I call traditional nomenclature. Not really a big problem, just different from what I'm use to.

"Mechanics of Flight" will become a classic in the aerodynamicist's library alongside Abbott and Von Doenhoff's "Theory of Wing Sections". Here's why:

* Coverage of topics in aircraft design is exhaustive. From balancing lift and weight for steady flight, on through off axis forces and moments from running propellers, to 6-dof formulas for aircraft dynamic modes, to how propeller location affects aircraft stability, and on and on. Great for both the beginner and the authority in aircraft.

* Often a completely thorough analysis including the minutest effects is presented along with a linearized or simplified method. The simplified analysis is so useful for rapid conceptual design and study of fundamentals, while the detailed analysis gives a complete grasp of the physics and phenomena involved. Plus, in simplifying a complex derivation, the reader is shown which parameters may be safely neglected and which require careful scrutiny, and what is engineering if not intelligently ignoring smaller effects to come up with a reasonable solution to a problem?

* The figures! Well thought out and consistent, the figures clearly illustrate the material.

* Actual aircraft data is used in the example and homework problems. I have a feel for the performance of several classes of aircraft simply from using this book.

* Phillips derives everything, and I mean everything using the fundamental laws of physics as the starting point. A student would be very well served to go through these derivations themselves. Phillips basically shows the student how to learn and how to think mathematically. No shortcuts here. I wish I had learned these things very early on in my own schooling.

* Phillips has included experimental data along with rigorous analytical derivation and computer numerical analysis. I believe that all three are necessary for a true understanding of fluid dynamics.

The bottom line: Buy and use this book! While it is true that the material is focused on subsonic flight, I work for a large airframer of supersonic aircraft and I find the principles and fundamentals to be extremely useful in my work. Whether you are a student or a professional, if you have an interest in aerodynamics this is THE book to use.

This book lays out the concepts of aircraft performance and simulation in an exceptionally clear and easy to follow format. There is no wondering how the concepts in each chapter fit together and how they apply to aircraft design or analysis.

The formulations for aircraft performance are very robust and provide the reader/student with the formulation of each equation from basic priciples in an easy to understand style.

A highlight of the book are the chapters on flight simulation and dynamic stability. The methods presented for 6-dof dynamic stability and quaternion based flight simulation are clearly explained and the examples provided walk the reader through the process of implementing them. These methods are also faster and more accurate than similar methods I have seen used here at NAVAIR, and implement them every time I can into older codes.

This book covers every aspect of flight mechanics that the beginning and intermediate student needs to know and does not confuse the reader!!

This text provides unparalled detail in it's discussion of flight mechanics. It contains clear and concise derivations of underlying equations and has well planned figures and example problems. Subject matter includes static and dynamic stability, propulsion, lifting line theory, 6-dof flight simulation with quaternions, along with many other essential topics. I particularly appreciated the straightforward way in which Phillips applies numerical methods to solving many of the problems. The equations required are located in such a manner as to make it easy to find what you need. Though mainly geared toward subsonic flight, I have found the understanding gained through this book invaluable in the design of supersonic vehicles. This is a great book for students learning the subject for the first time and a must have for engineering professionals and aircraft enthusiasts.

I am an Aerospace engineer working for the Air Force. While attending the annual AIAA aerospace convention in Reno Nevada, I met a professor from Denmark who raved about the work and research of a professor local to the west, Phillips. This seasoned scholar from Denmark wouldn't miss a session if he found Phillips' name appearing in it. I picked up the "Mechanics of Flight" which was on display for the first time at that conference. Due to the mountain of topics covered (900+ pages) I can't say that I have read every line of that book but the material I studied was impressive. I've never seen such complete derivations right from F=MA. The explanations are meticulous and thorough. I coded a real-time 6-DOF flight simulator for a midsized RCAV using this book as the main reference. I've never seen such a straightforward explanation of Quaternion algebra. If there were a "bible" of flight mechanics and dynamics, I would certainly give this my vote over any other in its class.